Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh says health authorities have recorded about 450 suspected yellow fever cases across Ghana between June and September 2026, with the Upper West Region accounting for 74 of them.

Of the 74 cases recorded in the Upper West Region, three have so far been confirmed as yellow fever, Mr Akandoh said, stressing that suspected cases must undergo laboratory confirmation before deaths or illnesses can conclusively be attributed to the disease.

“As of yesterday, the suspected cases were around 450 from June to September. Of those, 74 were from the Upper West, and 3 were confirmed from the Upper West. You see, sometimes the health professionals have a way of determining whether or not a death is attributable to a particular disease, but not until it’s confirmed,” he said.

Speaking at the Ministry of Health’s Health Sector Update Engagement in Accra, the Minister said government had stepped up surveillance and response efforts, particularly in northern Ghana, with laboratories supplied with the necessary reagents to facilitate the testing and confirmation of suspected cases.

He said a National Rapid Response Team had been deployed to the Upper West Region following the confirmation of cases, while designated areas at district hospitals had been isolated to support the management of suspected and confirmed patients.

Mr Akandoh appealed to the public and media organisations to remain calm and support the health authorities’ response, assuring that measures had been put in place to contain the situation.

“We don’t have to press the panic buttons. So the media, please, let’s handle it well; there are a lot of things that have been deployed,” he said.